TY - JOUR
T1 - Tuning microparticle porosity during single needle electrospraying synthesis via a non-solvent-based physicochemical approach
AU - Gao, Yuan
AU - Bai, Yuntong
AU - Zhao, Ding
AU - Chang, Ming Wei
AU - Ahmad, Zeeshan
AU - Li, Jing Song
PY - 2015/1/1
Y1 - 2015/1/1
N2 - Porous materials, especially microparticles (MP), are utilized in almost every field of engineering and science, ranging from healthcare materials (drug delivery to tissue engineering) to environmental engineering (biosensing to catalysis). Here, we utilize the single needle electrospraying technique (as opposed to complex systems currently in development) to prepare a variety of poly("-caprolactone) (PCL) MPs with diverse surface morphologies (variation in pore size from 220 nm to 1.35 μm) and architectural features (e.g., ellipsoidal, surface lamellar, Janus lotus seedpods and spherical). This is achieved by using an unconventional approach (exploiting physicochemical properties of a series of non-solvents as the collection media) via a single step. Sub-micron pores presented on MPs were visualized by electron microscopy (demonstrating a mean MP size range of 7-20 μm). The present approach enables modulation in morphology and size requirements for specific applications (e.g., pulmonary delivery, biological scaffolds, multi-stage drug delivery and biomaterial topography enhancement). Differences in static water contact angles were observed between smooth and porous MP-coated surfaces. This reflects the hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of these materials.
AB - Porous materials, especially microparticles (MP), are utilized in almost every field of engineering and science, ranging from healthcare materials (drug delivery to tissue engineering) to environmental engineering (biosensing to catalysis). Here, we utilize the single needle electrospraying technique (as opposed to complex systems currently in development) to prepare a variety of poly("-caprolactone) (PCL) MPs with diverse surface morphologies (variation in pore size from 220 nm to 1.35 μm) and architectural features (e.g., ellipsoidal, surface lamellar, Janus lotus seedpods and spherical). This is achieved by using an unconventional approach (exploiting physicochemical properties of a series of non-solvents as the collection media) via a single step. Sub-micron pores presented on MPs were visualized by electron microscopy (demonstrating a mean MP size range of 7-20 μm). The present approach enables modulation in morphology and size requirements for specific applications (e.g., pulmonary delivery, biological scaffolds, multi-stage drug delivery and biomaterial topography enhancement). Differences in static water contact angles were observed between smooth and porous MP-coated surfaces. This reflects the hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of these materials.
KW - Microparticles
KW - Poly("-caprolactone)
KW - Porous
KW - Shape
KW - Tuned
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84953709730&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/polym7121531
DO - 10.3390/polym7121531
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84953709730
SN - 2073-4360
VL - 7
SP - 2701
EP - 2710
JO - Polymers
JF - Polymers
IS - 12
ER -